Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority board held its first meeting of the year Wednesday at Bradley County Economic Development Corp.
SEARIFA will hold all meetings this year in Warren. The group alternates its meetings between Warren and Monticello.
The board consists of three members each from the cities of Warren and Monticello, and the counties of Bradley and Drew. The mayors and county judges serve as ex-officio members.
Top photo: Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority board held its first meeting of the year at Bradley County Economic Development Corp. Wednesday. Shown, from left, clockwise, are Charles Cullen, project manager for Garver Engineering, North Little Rock; Drew County Judge Jessie Griffin; accountant Bob Milton; Chairman John Lipton; Dr. Bob Smalling, representing Warren; Warren Mayor Gregg Reep and Michael Efird of Drew County. Photo by Tim Kessler.
Warren is represented by Dr. Bob Smalling, Roger George and there is one vacancy. Monticello is represented by Dr. Bettye Gragg and Nita McDaniel, with one vacancy. Bradley County is represented by John Lipton, Keith Neely and there is one vacancy. Drew County is represented by Michael Efird and there are two vacancies.
Attending Wednesday’s meeting were Smalling, Lipton, Effird, new Drew County Judge Jessie Griffin, new Warren Mayor Gregg Reep, Charles Cullen of Garver Engineers and accountant Bob Milton.
“We’ve come a long way. The cities and counties participated from the beginning,” said Chairman Lipton. He noted a railroad crossing was the main problem experienced for over a decade and it was finally completed last year, with the two county judges moving a road that impeded the project.
“Since the state of Arkansas decided to fund the intermodals (at $75,000 per year), we have not had to go to the cities and counties,” Lipton said. “We were the pilot program for the state of Arkansas.”
He said the state started with eight intermodals but one folded. For the past two years, Arkansas Department of Transportation has provided funding equally divided between the intermodals. Lipton noted an area east of Drew County was considering forming another intermodal.
“We’ve had an excellent cooperative effort between the mayors and judges,” he said.
Griffin said another factor to look at was Yellow Bend Port reopening being tied to barges carrying trash. SEARIFA has worked with Yellow Bend officials in trying to get rail access to the port.
Lipton said the SEARIFA location was chosen about 20 years ago because of its access to railroads, the intersection of Interstate 530 and the future Interstate 69, and because it is close to a natural gas pipeline at Wilmar. It originally consisted of about 360 acres but ARDOT has purchased some of that for a right-of-way for an overpass on I-530 over U.S. 278.
Milton said SEARIFA has received over $47 million in grants over the years, with the property valued at $8 million. The cities and counties have provided matching funds and Bradley County has provided in-kind labor. Arkansas Heavy Equipment Operators Training Program, based at SEACBEC in Warren, has provided some labor to clear the site and Stan Sweeney planted grass at the site in exchange for rights to harvest hay. A large water tank was installed at the facility which operates through the Monticello water system. C&L Electric Cooperative has committed to provide electricity to the site when needed.
SEARIFA is negotiating with a forestry-related industry to make a $250 million investment.
Griffin said that LaSalle Corrections is seeking to build a prison in Drew County and discussions had centered around using part of the Intermodal property for that. He said he was opposed to that idea because of the proximity of the site to the Monticello Sports Complex.
In the only other business, Milton provided the financial report which showed cash balances of $415,619.55 and expenses of $489.94 which included bills from AT&T, C&L Electric and his own accounting fee. However, he added $53,500 in other expenses, with a motion approved to transfer that amount from First State Bank to Warren Bank and Trust to pay a Union Pacific contractor for the railroad crossing.